Male Storm

Bhargava,who only had a stall in the last edition,will showcase on the ramp this time round. “Last time,we had a lot of colour. It will now be different shades of white,” she says about her 25 pieces,that will include “innovative semi-formal and formal shirts such as a kurta shirt”. “Men’s fashion is evolving and men are demanding more styles. It’s no longer just about picking a shirt or a kurta,they are ready to experiment with different silhouettes,” says Bhargava.

“Death of a Tree” is the theme of Shantanu-Nikhil’s collection. “It’s a collection with an ecological message,” says Shantanu Mehra. So,will they use organic fabrics? “It’ll be mix and match,with a lot of fabric,primarily handloom fabric,” he says,adding that the textures will have a “3D effect”. Fresh from a show in Paris,designer duo Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna are still picking out the colour scheme and style for the Men’s Fashion Week but their creations will mostly be in organic fabric like linen. “We will be showcasing our summer collection for 2011,in accordance with the international season cycles,” says Rohit Gandhi.

Vijay Arora’s inspiration is men in uniform. “There will be 30 pieces based on uniforms worn in the army,navy and air force,” he says. Expect a lot of olive greens,camouflaged colours,whites,greys in cotton,silk and wool from him.

Rajesh Pratap Singh,on the other hand,will stick to his ethnic,handwoven-fabric signature style but “there will be a twist of modernity to the Indian element,” he says. “Around 40 per cent of our buyers are outside India and,in order for Indian menswear to be easy-to-wear for them,I am giving it a practical twist,” he adds.

While while the audience watches the models strutting past in the latest designerwear,the organisers themselves have their sights firmly on the business,now that the pall of recession has lifted. “Last time,we found it difficult to find buyers,but this time,a lot of international buyers have shown interest,” says Sunil Sethi,president of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). Sponsor Van Heusen,too,has promised FDCI that its dealers will directly contact designers if they want to buy their clothes. “We are flying in 100 dealers from across the country to the event so that they can interact with the designers,” informs Sheetal Mehta,COO of Van Heusen.

Though the grand plans are in place,all the permits are not. FDCI hasn’t yet got permission from the government authorities to allow designers to put up stalls in the space outside The Grand Hotel.

— with inputs by Deepika Nath